Living Life to the Max
by OriginStoryPilot
Summary: Max is a challenge. She used to shut everyone out after her parents death until she met an unusual kid named Fang who wanted to know more about this closed off girl. Now, Max was Fangs challenge. FAX, no wings.
1. How we met

**Backstory**

It had been raining all frigin morning. _All frigin morning_ _and on the first day of school no less._ I was filled up to my ass with homework already because why would I, Maximum Ride ever get to live an easy, normal life? The answer to that would be never, _never,_ and you can thank my parents for that, well, you would be anyways if they weren't both dead.

I'm sure they would be- are proud of me right now. Since I have just entered my first day of third-grade and I'm frigin rocking it if I do say so myself.

My morning started out with me waking up a few hours early so I could see my brother before he went off to school, Usually I don't see him in the morning because my elementary school starts at 8:30 and his High school starts earlier at 7:25. All I got was still a quick good-morning and goodbye, but I still liked seeing him because I usually didn't get to at night because of his job that had him working until 10 at night.

My grandma sometimes comes over in the morning like she did this morning to make me breakfast and drive me to school. Which I'm not complaining about because if she didn't I would wake up every morning to stale pop-tarts and having to run to the bus stop all the way across the neighborhood (and since it was raining I was happy she came to get me today even more).

So that brings me to where I am right now, sitting in the back corner of my new third-grade classroom staring out the window. After this class was lunchtime, then recess, thank god. This room was too colorful, too bright for me, I refused to see anything fun about all the butterflies and other insects lining the walls.

My new teacher, Mrs. Hannah was droning on and _on_ about some sort of project. I'll spare you the boring details, but instead of wanting us to stand up and introduce ourselves she wanted us to draw a picture about ourselves or something that represented ourselves and had two people come around handing out blank pieces of paper.

One of them was a boy with black hair that went into his eyes and as he came up to my little desk I noticed him, his eyes were a dark amber that made me feel like they were looking right through me. I shivered.

He was about to place the blank paper on my desk when I stopped him,

"No thanks."

He gave me a funny look. "Mrs. Hannah said we have to."

"Yeah, well you can tell _Mrs. Hannah_ to shove this paper up her-"

He laughed lightly and said "That's no way to make friends Maxie"

Anger bubbled up inside me and I sneered. "Good thing I'm not here to make friends then"

He just smirked and set one on my desk and swiftly walked away without making a sound.

That irked me a bit, but I just sighed and drew a huge X across the paper with one of my brand new red markers.

About 20 minutes later the teacher told us to grab a piece of tape and put up our papers on the wall which I did and then we were told it was lunch, which we would go to the cafeteria and eat but on the way there I slipped away from my class and headed for the bathroom.

I had been itching to get away from everyone because I don't have any friends and I feel like I always kill the mood. I quickly used the stepping stool so I could reach the sink and see in the mirror. No, I didn't have to use the bathroom, but I needed to wash my hands.

I used the dispenser thingy and got a huge glob of soap on my hands and started rubbing them together. I turned the water on and slowly put my hands under it, but I still couldn't help but wincing when I tried to scrub off my hands. I repeated this. Again and again and _again._

I heard the school bell that meant recess and I sprinted out of the bathroom and around the hallway avoiding being seen by my class. I'm pretty sure I would be in trouble if I was caught skipping lunch.

I choose a swing set next to the edge of the building that no one else was using because I didn't want to be a bother. So far the school day wasn't so bad, no one seemed to pay me any mind that much and it was easy slipping under the radar. I still couldn't get my parents out of my mind though.

The whole thing still seemed so recent and maybe if I hadn't been in the car that day... No, I refuse to believe that me being there or not would have made a difference. _Of course it did Max, they were fighting over you._ I still can't go on that bridge without freaking out and vomiting. It's all too much since my parents died. The strain they put on my grandmother, not to mention the strain it puts on Ari

I loved my big brother who was now only a sophomore yet was handling two part time jobs and still trying to be top in his class. I always felt so frigin useless and I _hated_ feeling useless.

I tried to focus my mind on my parents when they were alive, happy and smiling. I remember my mom's chocolate chip cookies that little 6 year old me would come running for every time I caught the scent from my room. My mom and me playing out in the swimming pool and my dad, Jeb, making lunch on the grill while watching me while Ari tugged at his shirt to get attention.

My big happy family. Not so much any m-

BANG.

A loud clanking noise had sent me whirling off the swing set and falling back hard on the dirt. The wind was knocked out of me for a few seconds as I stared at the peaceful cloudy sky. I turned my head to see a soccer ball a few feet away. Some idiot must have hit the poles on the swing set which I was too zoned out to be watching.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! Are you okay Maxie?"

Okay, no one gets away with calling me Maxie. _No one._

I Jumped to my feet only to see that frigin annoying kid with the black hair from earlier. I swear to god if only people knew how to keep their distance, then life would be so much easier. Trying to keep control of my emotions I said,

" My name is Max you nit wit."

"Isn't that what I called you?"

"No, and how do you know that's my name anyways. I never told you."

"You're in my class I always know my classmates' names. Oh, and I looked at your drawing you sure like keeping things simple huh?"

"Yeah, I do. I would also like to throw this ball at your damn face. And you leave me alone. Is that simple enough for you?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"I don't know, is it?"

The boy thought for a second then walked next to me and picked up the soccer ball. He handed it to me and walked about 15 paces away and picked up a rock about the size of a toy car.

"What on earth are you doing?"

He put the rock on the top of his head, then crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. It made me angry when he did that stupid smirk.

"If you can hit this rock off my head from all the way over there then you win the game. If you miss then I win. That simple enough for you?"

I looked at the soccer ball in my hand and gave him a look that said, _what? Why?_.

"Unless, you can't throw because you're a _girl."_

Okay, I didn't care who this boy was or why he was even doing this, but that comment, in other terms, _pissed me off_. I proceeded to lift my arm backwards with the soccer ball in my one hand.

"Ready when you are Maxie." Evil grin.

I took a breath and hurled it at him with all my strength and nailed him right in the face, which made him loose balance and hit the ground with a sickly thud while the rock went skidding a good ten feet away from him. For a moment I felt joy that I had technically won but then I got worried because he wasn't getting up.

I ran up to him and got down on my knees to look at his face. His nose was bleeding out of one nostril and his eyes were closed.

"Oh my god. Kid? Kid? Hey, are you alive? Do I need to get a teacher? Or a- like an ambulance? Or something, kid?"

He slowly opened one eye. Then the other one immediately after it and smirked.

"Gotcha Maxie."

He started laughing and the face I gave him made him laugh ever harder and before I knew it I was laughing too. I couldn't even remember the last time I laughed, but it felt good.

"I'm sorry kid didn't mean to screw up your nose, but you threw that ball over here on purpose in the first place didn't you."

Sly grin.

"Well, you looked lonely. And my name is Fang."

"Weird name."

"Yeah, it's a nickname."

We were silent for a moment, then he gave me a look.

"Why are you sad?"

I didn't know how to react or what to say so I just kind of hunched my shoulders and said blandly,

"My parents are dead, simple enough for ya Fang?"

There is always that face of pity or recognition when I say that. I hate that look. I don't like being pitied even if that's pity worthy. I've never liked all the stares and the whispers of students, _yeah the one with the dead parents, poor girl, unlucky little sap._

The kid, Fang did just that. He frowned and awkwardly looked away

"Well, I should be getting back to my friend now, who's probably wondering where the heck I am."

He pointed and I looked over his shoulders and saw a tall blonde boy sitting on a bench next to the table with one of those water coolers on it sipping water from a cup and digging around in the dirt with his sneakers.

"Yeah, okay."

I stood up and got the soccer ball while he wiped his drippy nose on his black shirt. I handed it to him and he turned to leave just as I was about to walk back over to the swing set and stood in front of me.

"What?" I said.

"Life is too short to be feeling sorry for yourself."

He stretched out his arm towards me.

"Wanna play?"

I blinked, then smiled. And ran over to him and slapped his hand away.

"First to the water stand and back wins!"

 **A/N: Okay first part was a backstory but if you're interested then please follow and I'll try my best to get chapters on here as fast as I can :)**


	2. Max Ride

**Chapter 2**

 **MPOV**

"Ughhhh."

I sat up groggily and tried to wipe the sleep out of my eyes. I could hear my alarm blaring just to my right... And above my head? I sat up and realized I was on the floor, again. I always happen to fall asleep playing video games on my Ps4. I looked at my TV placed in front of my bed on top of a short, long table, the game Destiny was paused on it.

I groaned and got up and walked over to my alarm to turn off. I then saved my game, turned off my TV and set down the controller and walked toward the window so I could open the blinds. I looked at the window directly across from mine and saw that the blinds were still shut, but the lights were on, which meant my ole pal neighbor was already up and probably ready.

I looked at my clock and it said it was 6:30 so I had 30 minutes before I had to high tail it over to school. I was in my second year of high school and am 16 years old, it's around halfway through the year but I'm so ready for summer already.

I sighed and walked over to the bathroom and washed my hands for a few minutes. Then I started brushing my long blonde hair. It was a blessing and a curse, of course it looks nice long and wavy but you wouldn't believe the Bedhead I get. It always looks like a truck ran over me in my sleep, then dumped a ton of dirt on me, then rolled over me one more time just to make sure. I got through most of the knots and washed my face, and no, I didn't wear makeup or was going to put any on. I don't see the point in makeup, it always seemed kind of lame to me to be honest.

I then went to my closet, pulled out a white shirt and put a red flannel over it with jeans and red high-top converse. I didn't like dressing up too much and Ari says that what I wear makes me look like I'm a "street kid" but I liked it.

I heard a clanking noise and was confused for a moment, then I walked over to my window just to see Mr. dark and mysterious throwing rocks at the window.

I pulled up the glass and a pebble immediately hit me in the nose.

"Ow! What's the big idea Fang? You know there's a front door literally right next door to you."

And before you ask, yes, I live right next door with one of my best friends, but it wasn't always like this. When we were in 5th grade, his parents wanted to move into a bigger house because they had Angel, a now adorable six year old. The owners of the house had been trying to get rid of it for a while now and when I went to sleep over at his old house one night we made sure to mention it in front of Fang's parents. And it actually worked, yay children who use their unknowing parents to get what they want!

Fang smirked at me. I used to hate that smirk, but now I find it kind of charming, since he doesn't smile or talk much.

"I just wanted to make sure sleeping beauty was actually awake. Which you are, for once, I'll give you that."

"Yeah, well don't keep expecting it."

"M'kay I'll be over in five."

"I still haven't eaten breakfast though." I pouted

"We can stop somewhere on the way then."

We both simultaneously dropped our windows and I went downstairs to have my little black dog Total run up and greet me.

"Hey, good boy!" I greeted cheerfully.

Total barked and wagged his tail and I laughed just as Ari walked in wearing some hospital scrubs. He worked as a nurse part time and the other part of the time he was in college working in the field of medicine. He said one day he wanted to be a spinal surgeon which I think is because our dad was some sort of surgeon type person and that's where he got his interest from. But him juggling his needy job and college at the same time means that he's almost never home anymore except late at night and early in the morning.

I set total down and greeted him,

"Morning Ari, going to work already?"

"Morning Max," He yawned and rubbed the dark pits under his eyes. "And yeah, they called me in saying that they were going to need extra help today. I should probably get going. Later, there's leftover pizza in the fridge. If you get hungry."

"Okay, bye."

He opened the door and ran smack-dab into Fang, who had his hand up like he was about to open the door and a surprised look on his face.

"Oh, hey Ari."

Ari nodded "Fang."

Fang doesn't use the doorbell or knock anymore because we don't really need to. Actually, now that I think about it, we never used to knock on doors we just kind of barge in on our own accord

Fang walked in and passed Ari and we watched him get into his White truck and start heading down the neighborhood to the hospital.

"Ready to go?" Fang asked.

"Yeah, yeah lemme go get my backpack."

"Okay, I'll wait in the car then."

I ran into the kitchen and grabbed my backpack on one of the hooks and ran to the back door to lock it then to the front door which I stepped out of then locked it too. I shoved the key in my pocket and ran to Fangs old beat up truck that was a hand me down from his dad.

I hopped in the front and threw my backpack in the back.

"Nice to see you so early in the morning. Usually were high tailing it out of here." Fang said as he pulled out of the driveway and we started off down the road

"Oh, ha ha." I said it with a smile and leaned back in the chair. "You have anything planned for tonight?"

"Maybe, oh and I'm definitely coming over."

"Should I be scared?"

"Nah."

"Okay then, I'm thinking McDonalds coffee for breakfast, yeah?"

"Sure."

We went through the drive through and got our coffee, which was so hot at first I almost spilled it all over my shirt while Fang smirked. Other than that, we just made small talk on the way to school and when we got there he offered to throw away the now empty coffee cup, which I didn't oppose to. As I stepped out I could see my two best friends, Ella and Nudge standing at the school entrance waiting for us. I motioned to Fang I would meet up with him and he nodded while he walked to the nearest trash can.

"Hey guys."

Nudge and Ella waved and Nudge perked up.

"ZOMG Max that outfit totally suits you, you should like totally wear, flannels more often and do your hair like that. I don't know what you did, but it looks fantastic today for some reason. And did you do the math homework, I was totally stumped on question twenty-"

"Down girl." Ella said, putting a hand on Nuges mouth.

Nudge smiled and blushed. She had a tendency to talk a lot about the most random things, but I didn't mind that much

"Sorry, I get carried away sometimes."

"Or all the time, the Nudge channel is usually always on." we all laughed and then I said, "Where's Iggy and Sam?"

"Iggy texted me," Ella said "He says he woke up late and he and Sam will most definitely be late to first period."

In case you're wondering, we have six periods everyday I share my first period (European history) with Fang and Ella, my second (TV production) with Nudge and Sam, my third (Latin) with Nudge, my fourth (geometry) with Sam and Iggy which is the same with my fifth (English) and my last period (Chemistry) with Sam and Fang. Having my last period with Fang makes everything a lot easier because we can just drive home together with whoever's turn it was to drive to school that day like we did to get here morning. And it saves us from having to ride the bus (proceeds to barf in mouth). Our busses, let's say... aren't the nicest things in the world (Or in this town for that matter).

Fang walked up to us and greeted everyone with a head nod just as the bell rang.

Yay first period (barfs in mouth again).

The day went by rather unspectacularly and by the time I got to fourth period I was so ready for lunch. I noticed that Iggy and Sam were already there so I took my seat in front of them and sat backwards in my chair so I could face them. It seemed they were in a pretty heated debate and didn't notice me. So I just listened in until they would.

"No dude, you can't tell _anyone_." Iggy said red in the face.

"Why not?" Sam questioned

"Because if anyone, _anyone_ found out, then I would quite literally drop dead."

"Hmm, well if I _feel_ like it, then I may keep it quiet but if-"

Iggy saw me and slapped his hand over Sam's mouth

"Shhhhh." He said and Sam turned to see me which made him perk up a bit.

"Oh, hey Max. Iggy was just telling me about his undying love for Ella."

Iggy's jaw dropped open.

" _Dude!_ Why did you say that! You said you wouldn't tell anyone. I can't tell you anything dude, now _everyone_ will know because Max doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut."

"Iggy I hate to break this to you, but I'm pretty sure people in Africa know already."

As students filed in me and Sam continued to tease him until the teacher told us to take our seats and be quiet. We listened to a boring lecture about this equation I can't remember the name of and then after class ended we all stood up to leave. Me, Sam and Iggs all walked across campus and I sent a group message telling everyone Iggy was driving us for Lunch.

All three of us were waiting in the minivan that we long ago established looks like it belongs to a middle aged mom. Iggy said it had "swag" though, and I still couldn't see where he was getting that notion from. Nudge, Ella and Fang all walked around the corner of one of the school buildings and immediately recognizing the car hopped in.

We were all kind of like a set, me, Sam, Ella, Nudge, Iggy and Fang. You can't have one without the other. We decided after tons of arguing to go to WaterBurger just down the street from our school. When we go there we picked out a table and all ordered our food. I noticed Iggy look at Ella when she wasn't watching and vice versa. It was kind of cute, but kind of making me want to gag at the same time.

When we got back to school, we all parted ways and I walked to fifth with Iggy and Sam. English is pretty boring if you ask me, but I will say I'm mucho glad it's my first language because if I ever had to learn this crap living in some other country I would completely fail.

After English I told Sam I had to use the bathroom and we parted ways. I went to the bathroom and there was no soap so I took my own out of my backpack, which gave me a few stares from the girls in there but whatever. I then went to my last class of the day (thank god) science. I walked into the classroom to of course see Fang and Sam already there. I took my seat next to Fang. Sam sat in front of both of us.

"Heyo Max." Fang said.

He never really acknowledges Sam directly and same with Sam towards him. They've always had some weird thing towards each other, sort of like one of those love hate relationships without the love and more of a... Mutual tolerance? But I also kind of understand it (I think) you see, They're kind of polar opposites with Fang being all dark and untalkative, barely ever cracking a smile while Sam is bright and positive with blonde hair always tucked behind his ears.

"Sup." I said, putting my head down on the desk, "I'm soooo ready for summer already."

Sam turned around in his chair and gave me a blinding smile

"Hate to burst your bubble, but it's only the middle of the school year Max."

"Whatever, I'm always ready for summer."

We kept chatting with Fang making little comments here and there until class started. The teacher was talking I think about some sort of acid that can burn through peoples skin by just touching it. I'll be honest, it intrigues me more than I'd like to say, but I still wasn't paying much attention.

After class was over we stood up and waved to Sam as he walked out earlier so he could get on his bus. Me and Fang walked out of the classroom saying bye to some other students and started making our way to student parking. On our way there I saw a tall brown haired boy in a football jersey that everyone knew was our star quarterback Dylan Batchelder. I talk to I'm sometimes because he's in my Latin class and apparently I'm a "good" Latin teacher. I barely know the language myself!

He waved to me and started walking over

"Since when are you all buddy buddy with that douche." Fang muttered beside me

"Dylan is not a douche."

"He's practically dripping douche."

"Ew"

Dylan made his way over to me and Fang

"Hey Max!" He flashed a thousand watt smile and I'm sure every other girl in this school would have melted seeing that smile.

"Heyo Dyl."

"Dear god." I heard Fang mutter under his breath

"Be nice."

He held his hands up in mock surrender. Dylan just stared.

"Hey, you're Nick Walker right? I'm Dylan."

Fang just glowered as Dylan started walking with us to the parking lot. We made small talk until us and Dylan had to part ways because his car was probably over in the Junior parking while Fangs was in sophomore.

"I can't stand guys like him." Fang said

"C'mon, he's not that bad."

"Douche"

I sighed there was no point in arguing with Fang over something he had already set his mind to thinking. We got in the car and I got to choose what we listened to on the way home, which was usually some sort of alternative or indie songs. I chose Imagine Dragons "Underdog" and put my converse up on the dashborad of the car. I knew Fang didn't like when I did that, that's why I did it.

"Nu-uh Maxie get your shoes offa my baby."

"Don't call me Maxie and this old beat up truck is your baby?" I asked

"Yes." He said matter of factly, "Shoes. Down. Now."

"Bite me." I said while laughing. He glared, but I could see the smile in his eyes.

Eventually we pulled up to my driveway so Fang could let me out next to my house, even though I had told him plenty of times I literally only have to walk ten feet if you just parked in your driveway first, but no that's not how "gentlemen" act.

"So are you coming over tonight or no?"

All I got was a smirk, then a shrug so I was a bit nervous.

I unlocked the door and walked inside. I already knew Ari wasn't here because the Truck wasn't here. I was greeted by Total which I then fed and let out back. We had a swimming pool out back along with one big Oak tree that stood front and center. Before my parents passed my dad had built a huge tree house in it with a little help from Ari. I went up there sometimes with a book to read or sometimes just to think.

I walked back in and let Total in as well who happily hopped up the stairs to my room, no doubt to hop up into my comfy bed and go to sleep. I went into the kitchen and washed my hands until I felt my skin going a little softer then did my homework. It all in all took a good three hours and it was already about five so I went up to play Destiny until I heard a knock at the door.

I got up to go answer it and I could give you a hundred guesses to who was there and why they were holding two huge bags of marshmallows and you'd still probably never guess it.

Okay maybe you would.


	3. Nick Walker

**Chapter 3**

 **FPOV**

Okay, let me just get one thing straight right here and now.

I don't like Max. I'm not in the tiniest way interested in being friends with her.

That's right, I don't _like_ Max. I _love Max._

See the difference?

I've been in love with Max for as long as I can remember. Of course I would never let anyone onto this, I'm mister silent brick wall and I have an image to uphold with that. Now, do I want Max to be my girlfriend? Preferably. Do I want to hold her and cuddle with her sometimes? Maybe. Do I have dirty thoughts about her? Definitely. (Not all the time though you pervs.)

A long time ago when I found out about her parents I started, in my mind, I guess making up excuses to try and cheer her up. I would do everything from face planting to following her around all day trying to get her to look at some stupid YouTube video on my phone. I'm, of course, old enough to understand now that even though I did all that and even though we ended laughing or smiling everytime, she probably still hurt deep inside. I see her hurting even now too. And secretly my ultimate goal of the challenges, is to take that hurting away so she can see the world how I see it, fun and carefree. Live life while you can and have no regrets and all that jazz.

All of this brings me to my current dilemma, I am as of now sitting in my truck that's in my driveway just after I dropped Max off at her house trying to decide what challenge I'm gonna do for Max _this_ week.

And okay, for those of you out there who are like, _Oh my god, what the hell are these "challenges" I keep hearing about?!_ -I'm going to tell you. You see it all started with this toy car, yada yada, you already know that part. I got the idea that maybe doing little things like a race across the front lawn or who can hold their breath the longest would give her something to look forward to or something so I had an excuse to hang out with her. We also do big things sometimes like who will get the best grade on an upcoming test (I won that one) or something like who could survive the longest without playing video games (I won that one too).

There are only three rules you have to abide by with these challenges.

1\. No repeats- You can only do the same thing so many times before it gets old as they say. I don't want my memories with Max defined as _old_ or _boring._

2\. At least once a week- If you did one every day, it's time consuming, but if you did them every month it wouldn't me as special or memorable.

3\. You have to, _have to,_ have fun- Cliche? Maybe, but I think it's important.

So anyways, I got out of my car after coming up blank with what we were going to do this week it was Thursday, so I had at least another day to come up with something, but I had acted like I already had a plan to come over tonight and didn't want to disappoint Max.

I walked up to my front door which was still locked because my parents were at work and my little sister, Angel was still in school. I walked over to the kitchen and hung my car keys up on our little hooks and started making my way upstairs.

I walked down our narrow hallway passing Angels room which was a complete mess with dolls and stuffed animals everywhere. She always left her light on so I turned it off and closed her door then walked the rest of the hallway to my room and opened the door.

My room was nothing special it had a (surprise) blue bedspread on my black framed bed and next to it was my desk, which had my laptop on it and my gaming center (as I liked to call it next to that. It had a TV on top of a bookcase that surrounded the edges of it and was filled with books and games. All except for one little empty bookshelf that had a picture frame in it that held a picture of me and Max when we were about ten or eleven. We both had our arms around the other one's neck and were grinning, this picture was taken after one of our challenges where we dared each other to ware the other one's clothes to school for a day. Let's just say she lasted longer than me, all she had to wear was a black shirt and jeans whilst I had to wear a blue tank top and short-shorts. Let's also just say after that day my mom had to buy baby powder because of the rash I got on my- you know what, forget I said that.

I walked up to the picture and slid my hand around the back of it to pull out a different picture this one different than the one in the frame. This was a picture Max had drawn the day after we met when I asked the teacher if I could move to the seat next to her. It was just a drawn pair of stick figures Max drew that said, _me and butt-head._ Ah, she used to be so innocent that one. I smiled at it and set it back in place behind the frame. I had no time for my head to be in the clouds I needed to think of a new challenge, and fast.

An hour or so later I was sitting on my bed surrounded with crumbled pieces of paper from my blank notebook. What would be a simple, short and sweet challenge for Max? Gah! I was getting major writers and thinker's block when all of the sudden I heard the front door slam.

"Fang! I'm hooooome!" Yelled a sweet voice from downstairs.

Crap crap _crap._ I didn't notice the time Angel must have gotten a ride from her friend Kayla's mom today. Usually when my mom picks her up from afterschool I get an extra hour by myself, and I'm realizing this as I hear little footsteps fumbling up the stairs. I normally don't have a problem with her coming home early, but as of now I'm surrounded by my ridiculous ideas of my fantasies with Max, written down, on pieces of paper, _all around me._

I jump up and shove them all under my comforter just as Angel walks in.

You could say even though we're close, blood related siblings, we look nothing alike. Angel has big blue eyes and an innocent head of blonde hair. I take from my dad and she takes from mom, not that it really matters, though, it's just sometimes I get strange looks when I tell people she's my sister.

"Big brother!"

I don't know why, but that's normally what she addresses me as. She threw herself on me hugging me around the neck and I laughed lightly and started spinning her around.

"Better hold on Ange."

"Nooo, stooop. AHH. You better not drop me!" She was laughing and smiling.

I set Angel down and she said,

"Okay, I'm going to go make a snack and then play in my room M'kay?"

"Sure Ange."

She was about to walk out and then stopped all the sudden. She turned back around and got down on all fours.

"What in hel-k, are you doing?"

"I thought I saw something..." She murmured practically to herself and I guess found what she was looking for while I was praying for her not to sit down on my bed cause then she's sure to notice the paper. I think I thought to soon though, because she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from under the bed and before I snatched it started reading it. _Out loud._

"#32 take Max out on a picnic." She looked up, "Really big brother? _A Picnic_? Max would hate that." She smirked. I don't know where that kid got it from but she was pure evil. I sighed and my face turned a little red.

"Okay, first off I'm not even doing that and second off you give me back the paper and never mention to anyone, especially Max, that you saw it."

She grinned "I'll think about it. That is, if you make me some hot chocolate."

"Ange you know you're not supposed to-"

"-Have sugar after school, but unless you want this" She waved the paper around. "To mysteriously end up on Maxes front porch, then I suggest you make me some hot chocolate."

She paused before she left and stuck the paper in her pocket.

"And don't forget marshmallows."

Marshmallows. Marshmallows.

"OF COURSE!" I said/screamed (sort of)

Angel looked confused, but I just ran downstairs.

"It'll be ready in ten Ange, but I'm going over to Maxes for a bit after. Tell mom and dad they won't need to make me dinner."

A half hour later I was just getting back from the convenience store and walking up the steps to Maxes house. I see my parents' cars so they're already home and probably making dinner for themselves and Angel. It wouldn't hurt to miss out on one family dinner, I mean we practically have them every night.

I knocked on the door (I usually don't knock, but I wanted the element of surprise for this challenge) and knew I'd be waiting for a good minute because she's no doubt playing video games upstairs. I tried not to be nervous, but I knew my palms were sweating anyways. I come over here almost every day, and yet I was always sort of nervous in front of Max. I never knew if she was in a good or bad mood, meaning, I didn't know if she was feeling sad or Happy.

That girl had no idea what she did to me.

She opened the door and her eyes got wider. I held up the two jumbo bags of marshmallows and smirked.

"Ready for a challenge?" I asked as I slipped by her through the doorway, heading towards the kitchen.

"Well, I guess so then." She said. "Why the marshmallows though?"

I set them down on the kitchen island and fished out two paper plates from her almost empty pantry.

"Ever heard of a little game called Chubby bunny?"

"Oh my god, we're not-"

"-We most certainly are."

I opened one of the bags and shoved one in my mouth to eat.

"Whoever shoves the most marshmallows in their mouth win if they can still say chubby bunny,"

"I don't see the point of this, but okay."

"The point is to make you laugh." I said boldly.

She just kind of stared at me for a second and it took my everything not to get lost in her chocolate eyes and run my hand through her long blonde hair- forget I said that.

She reached over and picked one up,

"Chubby bunny."

I picked two up and put them in my mouth,

"Chubby bunny"

"Hey no par you put pow in pur mouth" Max said through the marshmallows in her teeth.

" Neber saib you coulbn't put two in therb at a timb."

After about five minutes we both had ten in our mouth and I started feeling mine going down my throat and choked them out onto my plate. Max immediately spit hers out after I spit out mine. We both choked for a minute, then started laughing.

"Hah, I win. In your face Fang."

"Yeah, whatever it's not fair cause we both already knew you have a big mouth on you. I mean with all the talking you do."

"Ha ha very funny."

"Best two outta three?"

"Your on."

We continued this for an hour or two, Max won pretty much all of them and our last bag of marshmallows was pretty much empty. We were both laughing really hard at the now unidentifiable fluffy chunks all over the table.

"Oh my god I can't believe it's already so late." Max said

"Really? What times is it?"

"Like, already ten."

It's already so late my parents will be wondering where I am. I still didn't want to leave just quite yet though

"You should probably be getting home." Max said, walking over to the sink, "It's a school night."

"What are you my mom."

We both chuckled and she started washing her hands. I knew where this was going. She always has this thing about washing her hands. Always making excuses to go to the bathroom or slip away from the group sometimes when we're together. _Just to wash her freaking hands._ I don't know why she does it and I 've never asked about it. I just kind of know it has something to do with her parents, which she talks about only occasionally. It's a fixation. It's kind of like some weird addiction.

I walked over to where she was washing her hands and gently took her wrists in mine. I moved them away from the water and turned off the sink.

"Max." I looked at her, she turned away.

"Won't your parents be wondering where you are, It's really late." She said

My hands were still on her wrists and I blushed a little and set her hands on the counter.

"I can't leave you with this mess and I don't think _one_ episode of American horror story would hurt."

"I can clean it myself and aren't American Horror Story episodes like an hour long each."

I grabbed a garbage bag and started packing in gross globs of marshmallows in it.

"Maybe, but there good episodes." I winked at her and saw she blushed a little. Max is an easy blusher.

"Okay, fine, but if you get in trouble I'm not to blame."

We finished cleaning after fifteenish minutes and sat down on the couch to watch American Horror story. Max offered to make popcorn and we watched the first episode of the first season. We sat next to each other on the couch, shoulders almost touching throughout the whole episode.

"I think Asylum was way better than Murder house personally." Max claimed when it was over

"Yeah, well Asylum didn't have ghosts in it, technically. And ghosts are cool."

"Yeah right, she threw one of the couch cushions at my head and I threw it back at her.

"What time is it?"

"Eleven thirty."

"Okay then, I'm off"

"Kay, mind if I keep your Netflix account logged in? I was going to marathon until Ari gets home."

"Yeah sure."

I got up and Max followed me to the front door so she could close it behind me. Her dog heard me enter the main hallway and ran down the stairs barking.

"Hey Total. Where have you been?" I said.

"Probably chewing up my controllers no doubt." Max said and leaned down with me to pet him.

"Thanks for coming over."

I shrugged, not sure what to say.

"I like it when someone else is here to talk to. This house is so empty."

I stared. However, she was focused on Total and didn't notice me staring.

"Max." I said, sounding strangled.

I leaned over on my knees and wrapped my arms around her.

"Just tell me if you ever need to talk m'kay?"

She was still and then she hugged me back.

"You worry to much Fang. I'm fine."

A lie, but I let it slide anyways. I got up and walked out of the house waving bye.

Once I was out of her house I hurried over to my front lawn a fist pumped the air. I succeeded in cheering her up a bit _and_ got a hug. I'm sure my parents would be okay if I told them I was helping Max with homework or something.

I couldn't help but smile in the cool night air and think about Maxes smiling face.

 **A/N: Like Fangs pov? I'm thinking of doing a back and fourth between Fang and Max if you guys perfer.**

 **Also review and tell me if you have any challenges you would like to see Max and Fang do in future chapters!**


	4. Wrecked

**Chapter 4**

 **Mpov**

After Fang left I sat on the floor petting Total for another good ten minutes until Total got up and ran to the back door and barking. I let him out and walked out on the back porch to watch him just to make sure he doesn't start chasing poor terrified frogs into the pool. You're probably wondering how I got even got by Ari with having a dog. Well, if you weren't wondering, I'm going to tell you anyways. He was my grandma's dog, but she died a while back. Anyways, she wrote in her will that I would inherit her dog. Oh the joy, you wouldn't believe my face when I found out. And before you think _'Oh, how terrible another person in Max's poor pitiful life dying'_

Well, don't think that because my grandma was 87 when she died and I knew she lived a long happy life until the end. My parents didn't get to enjoy that. The thought made me sigh and I turned around to look through the open back door at the front door. I guess I thought maybe staring it down would somehow magically make Ari appear. It didn't.

Total was still trying to find a spot to, uh, do his business and I was getting bored watching him. I eyed the tree house and decided I wanted to climb up there, for some weird reason.

I was still wearing what I had worn to school but my shoes had long since been taken off so I was only wearing ankle high socks on my feet when I stepped onto the dewy grass. I reached the wooden ladder that was more or less just pieces of about foot long boards of wood nailed into the side of the big Oak tree. I remember mentioning that this tree was huge. That is an understatement.

The tree was massive with giant branches that had at least 10 feet long diameters each. Some of the braches flowed onto the ground in a twisty, twirly pattern that made the tree look like any second it would come to life and grab you. Since it was almost summer the leaves were just starting to bloom and in the moonlight it looked beautiful.

I climbed the old wood boards until I got to the tree house part that sat on the trees two biggest branches. The opening was a latch on the bottom that you had to push up to get in, like in the spy movies. I opened it and crawled into the dusty crud filled place. The tree house was about the size of half of one of those big semi carrying cases. A good size.

There was one big window that used to have a net my dad had secured over it which was by now, 10 years later, long gone. I went over to one of the corners next to the windows to look out at the night sky. There wasn't a single cloud to be seen so I could see all the little stars twinkling in the dead of night. Although the night wasn't so dead. I could hear owls howling, I could hear the crickets chirping and I could hear the faint sounds of squirrels running through the forest right behind our line of houses.

I reached my hand out at one of the stars, opening my hand up and clamping it down into a fist like I could grab it. I slowly brought my fist back and opened it. There was nothing in it. Of course. I remembered the nursery rhyme my mom used to sing to me when I was little

 _Twinkle, twinkle little star,_  
 _how I wonder what you are._  
 _Up above the world so high,_  
 _like a dimond in the sky._  
 _Twinkl, twinkle little star,_  
 _How I wonder what you are._

I wasn't dumb. I knew that things weren't all peachy when the crash happened. My parents over the last year had started arguing more and more. Or maybe I just noticed it more and more. I don't know. Maybe. But I do remember the whole thing like it was yesterday.

I closed my eyes.

 _My mom and dad and I were all driving somewhere... I couldn't remember where I don't think they ever told me where. And they left Ari at the house which was strange, they usually never left him at the house alone. Dad was driving and I remember his face clearly, pained and like stone. While mommy was in the passenger side looking at everything but daddy. No one was talking and I was playing with my teddy bear in the back._

 _"Daddy, where are we going?"_

 _"Nowhere sweety. It won't take long I promise."_

 _My mom turned towards him wearily._

 _"Jeb, I think the least we could do is explain it to her."_

 _My dad turned to look at my mom._

 _" Valencia use your head, she wouldn't understand, she's to young and it's not her decision anyways." His face was set back on the road and I decided to leave it._

 _I squirmed a bit in my car seat and clutched my toy teddy bear closer to my chest. I always kept my seat belt really loose despite my parents telling me to make sure it was tight. I didn't like it when it was tight because the top part of the seat belt always cut into my neck. We started going over a bridge and I tried to enjoy the view of the lake that ran about ten feet below it while my mom decided to keep at it with daddy._

 _"For god sakes this is the stupidest-"_

 _"Valencia!" My dad yelled, turning his head away from the road. "For the last ti-"_

 _Everything happened in slow motion._

 _As my dad turned in rage at my mom, he let go of the steering wheel for just a split second, a split second and that's when it happened. The bridge we were on was just ending and our car swerved and hit the pole thing on the end of the bridge that kept it standing._

 _We swung around and I could feel the car turning over and that's when everything went black._

 _I woke up. Where was I? And why did my head feel like it was splitting open. I tried to call out for my mom and dad, but no noise was coming out of my mouth. All I could hear was a light whirringsound which was making my head hurt. I tried moving my hand, but it went really slow. That's when I realized that my hand was under water. I was upside down. Why was I upside down? How could I breathe if I was underwater? Then it all came rushing back to me._

 _The argument. The crash. The car flipping off the end of the bridge into the shallow water bank. I frantically looked around and noticed my hands were feeling sand. I was feeling around to where my buckle was in the little buckle thingy and started clicking it._

 _I came free and my head fell backwards awkwardly on the roof of the car that was now full of water and sand. I slowly sat up and saw the car was filling up with water fast. I started hacking up a storm and was eventually able to rasp out,"Mommy? Daddy?"_

 _I hoped they'd made it out and looked at the shattered window directly to my right. The car was on a tilt I noted, because the water looked slanted in the window, and that's when I looked into the front seat. And saw murky red water already filled the front and up to my waist in the back. I screamed and started pushing my way through the shattered glass window. Which gave me cuts and scratches all over my body that started bleeding immediately. By the time I got my little body out I was all the way underwater and was having trouble seeing through all the blood and focusing clearly. Which way was up?_

 _I knew I was screaming for my parents in the water and started sucking in huge gulps, as if it were air. I felt myself slowly sinking as I choked on water. I looked up at the surface, I think it was the surface. I couldn't think straight and started having trouble remembering where I was._

 _Mommy and daddy were probably going to get angry if I didn't go to bed soon I thought. I closed my eyes, I was suddenly really tired. And I moved my arms to grab my teddy bear to me when I realized he wasn't there._

 _Oh well, I thought... Drifting..._

 _All of the sudden hands were on my back surging upwards. I was about to tell them it was my bed time and I needed to go to sleep before I got in trouble when all of the sudden air started rushing into my lungs._

 _I sat up and started violently choking, not being able to get enough of the air. I looked around wildly and saw flashing lights, heard the sirens all around me, smelt smoke and something else nasty like burned rubber. It was so much I felt dizzy again and had to lay back down. I heard faint voices._

 _...'Not awake'_  
 _..'Didn't make it'_  
 _...'Lucky little girl'_  
 _...'Poor thing.'_

 _I sat up again, I didn't know how much time had passed, but there was still just as much chaos happening around me. I saw more people in the water looking around, police cars and caution tape lining the scene._

 _I was on the back of an ambulance. It wasn't moving I was just laying there. I sat up and held my head in my hands, I had a major headache. An officer was standing next to me and when she saw me awake her eyes widened and she took out a clipboard._

 _"Hello sweety, I'm officer Kati, can you tell me your name?"_

 _My name? What was my name?_

 _"Huh." I said, looking around, more observantly this time. She repeated the question and started saying some other things while I took my hands off of my head. I looked down and saw I was completely red. From my head to my toes, clothes and all were soaked red. Red with blood. I looked at my hands to see they were oozing the liquid. I started rubbing them off on my jeans and the blood kept oozing out. I hopped off the back of the ambulance and fell to my knees. I was vaguely aware of hands pulling at me. I didn't care._

 _I started screaming._

I opened my eyes again,not knowing how much time had passed. Not caring either. I slowly sank down the Treehouse wall, refusing to cry, and fell into a deep sleep.

 **A/N: Dramatic backstories ftw! Hope you liked it!**


	5. Worry

**CHAPTER 5**

 **Fpov**

I woke up the next morning to Angel jumping on my bed telling me I'll be late for school if I slept in any later. It was Max's turn to pick me up for school that day so I didn't need to get ready quite as fast as I normally did. I groaned and told her to leave, which she complied to only after I told her I would pack her lunch for her.

My parents, of course had a fit yesterday with me coming home at 11:30. Don't get me wrong they were actually cool parents, well paid and treated me and Angel as their world. Which I guess most kids are to their parents. They'd chewed me out telling me the next time I came home so late, I would lose my driving privileges, except for driving to and from school. And to top it all off I had forgotten I had a chemistry essay and stayed up even later writing it. Which is why I felt as if Satan was knocking on my skull, giving me a major headache from sleep deprivation.

I sat up and walked over to my closet, pulling on a pair of black jeans over my boxers that I had slept in and a black T-shirt, it was still getting to hot to wear hoodies. I combed my hair so it was parted the right way (don't judge all guys need to look a little spiffy.)

I opened my window to see if Max's light was on, It wasn't. I grabbed my pebble collection that I had in a zip-lock bag and started throwing them at her window. She still didn't open it. I gave up after five minutes and left my room. I slid down the banister of the stairs and jumped at the last second so I wouldn't hit my... yeah. I walked soundlessly into the kitchen where my mom was turned around at the stove flipping pancakes. I silently sat on a bar stool on the island in the middle of our kitchen. Angel I saw was in the living room watching cartoons, her school started later than my high school, but she always woke up early because, ya know, little kids are weird. I personally would _never_ wake up earlier than I had too. My dad was sitting in the chair next to her reading the paper.

My mom turned around to put the pancake she finished flipping on a plate with all the others and saw me, nearly dropping her pan in the process.

"Nick! Sweetie, I love you to pieces, but are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?"

"Sorry mom." I said, grabbing a plate.

I was about to stack on the pancakes when I heard the door open. Max strode into the kitchen a few seconds later smiling.

"Max!" Angel yelled.

She ran up to hug her, about reaching Max's mid stomach. She looked up at her and beamed.

"Hey Ange."

"Max, we're having pancakes fro breakfast! Mom just finished cooking them c'mon c'mon!"

She dragged her over to one of the stools and they both sat down.

"Yo." I said.

"Sup, Hello Mrs. Walker."

"Always a pleasure Max." my mom replied.

My dad came into the kitchen and then we all took a ton of pancakes, me and max scarfing ours down so we could leave on time.

"Bye mom, bye dad, later Ange." I called. "Don't forget Iggy is coming home with me after school!"

"Okay sweetie, Love you!"

I hopped into the passenger side of Max's car and before she pulled out of the driveway made sure I had my seatbelt on. Don't get me wrong, I love this girl to bits, but her driving is the equivalent of a drunk monkey in one of those high speed cop car chases. We started driving to school and the whole time I heard her muttering to herself to remember which gears to put the car in. Did I mention her car was a stick-shift? No? well, it's a stick-shift.

We parked in her parking space and ran over to the entrance of the school to meet up with our friends. We had almost no time to spare once we reached Iggy, Ella, Sam and Nudge, who were all at the entrance of the gate chatting and laughing. Max greeted them and I nodded my head at them.

When the bell rang me, Max and Ella walked to our first period together for European history.

As our seating arrangements went in that class I was stuck a few seats behind and to the left of Max and Ella sat next to me. The teacher told us that we would have free period as long as we're working on or history study guide because she needed to grade papers. She also said we were only allowed to work with the people around us and when I looked at Ella, she had the big textbook on her desk with the phone in between the pages. She mouthed sorry and I shrugged and got out one of my idea notebooks and started writing ideas for challenges down, this is what I managed to come up with, sadly-

 _Fangs Challenge Ideas_

 _#1- Who can Rollerblade backwards the longest without falling on their ass... hilarious, but I don't even own Rollerblades and don't have the knowledge to know where to get them_

_#2- Scavenger hunt... Nah I don't feel like having to buy shit to hide_

_#3- Prank call Sam and tell him someone thinks he's the father of their baby... Again, hilariou, but we've already done that to Iggy_

_#4- Ask Max out on a date... ... .._

My train of thought was interrupted when I saw Ella set a folded piece of notebook paper on my desk. I opened it and read it.

 _0-0 - max_

I gave her a "what the actual F" look. She gave an exasperated sigh from the desk next to mine and just pointed to where Max was sitting.

That stupid douche Dylan had moved his chair over to her desk and they were working on the stud guide thing. Like, _together_. I don't know why, but it made me mad when I saw her laugh at something (probably stupid) that he said. I don't know why, but it made me mad when I saw him lean closer and point something out on her paper. I was almost so mad that I didn't hear Ella through the blood rushing to my head.

"Fang, dude, you're making everything like, _super obvious_ right now." she said.

I turned to her and felt a bit of the heat rush to my cheeks and I whispered back,

"Yeah, well you and Iggy don't make it less obvious. Especially when you have a heart next to his contact name."

She blushed madly and closed her textbook over her phone that I had read that off of a second ago.

"Nudge did that! It doesn't mean anything! And if I were you I'd go rescue Max before lover boy over there gets even more touchy feely with her." She whispered in her defense.

I sighed and stood up to walk over to her. I caught a bit of their conversation while I was walking over too, It went something like this-

Dylan- So do you want to go?

Max- Um, I don't know I'll have to think about it. When is it again?

Dylan- This Sunday, my parents are out of town and it's gonna be great. The whole football team will be there and so many other people. C'mon, you have to go! Please, for meeee?"

Max- Haha, I said I'll think about it.

I felt the bile in my throat and choked it down. This moron was inviting Max to one of his stupid illegal parties full of drunk jocks and skimpy cheerleaders. I hadn't had a plan of what to say to her so I just kind of walked up behind her and tapped her shoulder impatiently. She turned around and she smiled at me.

"Yeah Fang?" She said.

"Yo Fang! Wassup, You should really come to my party this weekend it'll be totally awesome." Dylan said.

I made a hrumph sound and turned back to Max.

"You got yesterdays math notes?" pathetic, but it was all I could come up with.

"Yeah, probably, give me a sec." She reached down and started sifting through her backpack. I awkwardly stood in the aisle until she handed me a folder.

"They should be under yesterdays date."

I nodded my thanks and turned back around to see Ella staring at me, one eyebrow raised. I went to go sit back at my desk and Ella started cracking up.

"That went well for ya."

"Oh shut up." I said, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Dylan look at me and smirk. But as soon as I noticed it, he was already back to talking to Max and I got a sick feeling in my stomach.

 **A/N: Okay there you go a next chapter and I promise in the next one I will go more in depth about how Max feels towards all of her friends (yes, including Fang!) I will try to update this story more frequently so tell me what you think about it so far!**


	6. Going home

**Chapter 6**

 **MPOV**

I can tell Fang was being a little cold toward me. Why? I don't know.

Don't get me wrong that boy is always moody, but he also seemed a little out of it today. For instance, today at lunch when I tried to get his attention to show him the new online updates for the upcoming games on the PlayStation he wasn't even listening and I had to repeat it all about three times. And he didn't flinch even when Iggy started singing the constipation song. Every time I tried to ask him what's wrong or talk to him about it, he shrugged me off. I eventually decided to let him be, when he was in one of his moods he usually stuck to it for a while.

Right now me and Fang were leaning against the outside bricks of the 700 building. That was the science department part of the school. Fang had said Iggy was going over to his house and because I was driving I had to wait for Iggy with Fang. However, I also used the opportunity to invite Nudge and Ella over to my house so we could spend the night.

I kept watching Fang out of the corner of my eyes, waiting for him to say something. He was leaned up against the wall right next to me, one foot up on the wall and the other keeping his balance on the ground. His arms were folded over his chest, which can only be described as either incredibly menacing or dashingly handsome. He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time.

"Iggy's running late." He said bluntly, not facing me.

I was getting angry at that point and got off the wall to stand in front of him.

"Fang, What's wrong?"

He scoffed and flicked his head to move his long black bangs out of his eyes.

"Nothing."

"Don't tell me it's nothing, you moron. I've known you for, like, 10 years and I know you well enough to know something _is_ wrong." I pushed.

He looked up at me, eyes unreadable and it looked like he was just about to say something when across the parking lot someone shouted my name.

"Yo Max!" Dylan yelled.

He and all of his friends wearing football jerseys looked this way and did some weird head bob thing. _Boys._ Dylan waved, but kept walking with his friends. I waved back and turned to face Fang again.

"Well?"

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"What?"

"Why don't you go hang out over there with all you knew preppy playboy friends." He nodded to where Dylan had been a second ago.

It irritated me that he would think that. But then it dawned on me that he had probably seen us talking a lot lately and might have been feeling, I don't know... Left out? I didn't even get Fang sometimes which is weird since he's the person closest in my life and vice-versa. He was like my best friend, my... Brother? I don't know why it bothered me to say he was like a brother to me, but it did. I hated it when one of us was angry at the other because it was like being angry at my left arm. I needed my left arm.

"I'm _not_ playing with _any_ preppy playboys, Fang." My immediate responses have always been in some way offensive or rude sounding. Oh well.

He seemed like he was about to make a snappy comeback of his own, but stopped when we saw Iggy running to us up from the walkway. He was sweaty and huffing really hard by the time he got to us and when he did, he started panting and put his hands on his knees.

"Please lord, if ever there was a Jesus sent him now to pick up my corpse. My handsome, fabulous and generous corpse."

"Don't know about that last one Ig." I said.

Fang reached into his backpack's side pocket and gave Iggy a half empty water bottle.

"What happened to you?" He asked with a eyebrows raised and a slight smirk.

"I got caught up with my Anatomy teacher who wanted to show me some extra credit stuff and then tried to make me clean the fish tank _and_ the turtle tank, so I told him I had to use the bathroom then made a run for it."

"Wow life is rough huh."

"Yeah, no kidding. And I'll have you know-"

"Max! Fang! Igs!" Someone shouted. Or should I say two someones.

I saw Ella and Nudge skipping down the walkway making their way to us, all while we listened to Iggy complain about his science teacher that he's now claiming must have a crush on him.

"Isn't our school anatomy teacher married Iggy?" Fang questioned.

"So!" he threw his hands up as if to make some point. "It's not my fault I'm irresistible."

Fang chuckled as Iggy said this all while taking huge exaggerated gulps of water. Ella and Nudge reached us and both looked thoughtfully at Iggy. Then started chuckling.

"Iggy your shirts soaked, and you smell like wet dog." Nudge said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Yeah? Why don't you try cleaning out a turtle tank in under five minutes."

"Okay, bring me a turtle."

"I have an old fish tank at my house." Ella, oh so helpfully cut in.

I sighed and told them I'd go get the car from the parking lot. While I was halfway to the car I felt a presence next to me and looked over my shoulder to see Fang walking a few paces behind me. He caught up and shoved his hands in his pockets. He flipped his bangs out of his eyes and flashed me a smile. I felt my cheeks heat up and looked away. Huh.

One of the things I liked best about our relationship was our inability to stay mad at each other, no matter what it was or what had happened we always just seemed to keep coming back to each other. I'm glad I had a friend like him. And all my other friends, of course.

"Sorry. I was an ass." Simply said.

"It's cool. Sorry I kind of left you out of the loop."

"Hmm?"

"Weren't you feeling like, left out? cus of Dylan?"

He shook his head and hopped into the passenger seat as we reached the car. We drove back around to Iggy, Nudge and Ella, who all piled in the back still talking about cleaning turtle cages. I rolled my eyes, as did Fang.

I had met Iggy when I started hanging out with Fang back in elementary school and we've been friends since. Don't get me wrong, Iggy is one of my best friends, but he can be a little... Iggy. As for Ella and Nudge I met them early in middle school and we've been best friends since. Even though Nudge is all into that fashion and makeup jazz and Ella's eyes are pretty much glued to her phone screen half the time, we're probably always going to be best friends. I hope so anyways. Sam we met our first year of high school and he almost immediately fit in with our group.

"Hey Igs why isn't Sam coming too?"

"He said he has to stay with his grandma this weekend just because she had surgery, I mean how ridiculous is that."

"Pretty ridiculous Iggy." I replied sarcastically.

We pulled out of the school and made our way to me and Fang's house. Ella and Nudge and Iggy started at one point singing along with some Taylor swift song while I tried to block out the horrible noise.

"Hey Max,"

"Yeah Fang."

"Are you going to go to Dylans party."

"I don't know, probably not. I mean, why go to a party when you could play video games instead."

He chuckled and rested his head on his hand to look out the window.

"You really are one of a kind Max." He said.

* * *

Long story short, I dropped Fang and Iggy off at their house and me, Ella and Nudge all went to the nearest gas station to get polar pops and plenty other junk foods. We were planning on pulling an all nighter but what usually happens is that they'll stay up until about one or two and it's usually me pulling the all nighter.

Anyways, once we got back to the house we immediately headed upstairs where Ella and Nudge plopped down on my bed and I sat against the foot of it and turned on my playstation. I played while they took some stupid quizzes on buzzfeed and tumblr like,

"Who is your celebrity hubby?"  
"10 things about huge Disney stars you probably didn't know about."  
"What really went down on project runway last season?"  
"Is the amount of numbers in the world really infinite?"  
"5 ways to easily tell if a boy likes you!"

Ella and Nudge both started Nudging each other and laughing at the results of the quizzes and I laughed with them.

"So, according to this if he doesn't look in my direction or go out of his way to talk to me he thinks I'm a complete waste of space... Not the most inaccurate quiz I've ever taken." Nudge says.

"What about if he does pointless challenges with you every week to get your attention?" Ella responds.

I pause my game and turn my head over my shoulder at them. They both sit there and watch my expression, waiting for my reaction.

"What was that? My game was to loud, I couldn't hear you."

Ella facepalms and Nudge rolls off the bed making a long, exasperated sigh.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Okay, plz don't get mad at me I know I haven't updated in a few months (okay, maybe more than a few) but don't worry because I have no intentions of abandoning this story. Sorry for all of you who have been waiting for this update although there aren't many but I am a busy person. I don't like fanfic writers who tell their whole frigin life stories of why they haven't updated in a while, but in short I have schoolwork to do, video games to play and a mild case of writers block (although I am very certain I know where this story will be headed in the future)**  
 **I will try to keep my A/N short but please, please, please leave me some suggestions in the comments of how you would like to see this story progress, if there are any developments you want to be made or if you have a challenge idea for Fang. I will try to update at least once a week from now on, read on dudes.**


	7. Manhunt

**Chapter 7**

 **FPOV**

When Max dropped us off me and Iggy immediately headed to raid my kitchen. When you're a growing teenage boy who needs a minimum of like 4000 calories a day, WaterBurger for lunch just don't cut it.

"Dude I'm starving. Does your mom still keep that stash of cookies in the back of the pantry?"

"Yeah, I'll get us some Pepsi from the outside fridge."

"Niceeee." Iggy said "Make sure It's not that diet shit after today I feel like I'm about to pass out so I need the caffeine."

"Yep," I say turning down the hallway "cleaning science teacher's old dirty turtle tanks can do that to ya."

Iggy laughed "Shut up dude."

I walked out to the back porch where we kept our outside fridge and opened it to grab the sodas. Although there was two unopened six-packs of Monster so I opted for one of those instead. I grabbed the whole pack and as I closed the fridge and saw Total, Max's dog, run out of the back door followed by Max.

She ran out to catch up with him and then did one of those pauses while staring at him to get his attention. Then she started running in circles around him playing a sort of game of tag.

She noticed me and gave me a goofy smile and a wave before having Total chase her back through the door.

I waved back after she'd already gone inside. These moments were what I liked best about our relationship. It's what I liked best about Max. She was always looking up always putting others in front of herself.

Even though most people don't know it she always lightens the room when she walks in just by smiling. Even though most people don't know it she has an old calendar she looks at every month to with everyone's birthdays written on it so she doesn't forget when they are. Even though most people don't know that Max will always take the right side even if that means she'll end up getting hurt in the process.

It makes me remember sometimes how complex human beings can be and how each individual person has so much going on in their life you don't know about.

I leaned my back up against the fridge and took a deep breath.

I really had it bad for Max.

I walked back inside a minute or two later. Iggy was sitting on the counter with a cherry Popsicle dangling from his front teeth and looking at his phone. He was very enthused about the monster and fist bumped my shoulder to show gratitude.

"Dude you don't realize how much I'm thankin god that you have this; but you do realize that if I drink just a quarter of one of these I'm going to be practically jumping the walls all night?"

"I figured."

I slid one across the counter top to him and him hopped down from where he was on the counter so it just missed hitting him and caught it with his hand. I grabbed the Monster and Iggy grabbed the stash of cookies and a bag of Doritos and we went upstairs to my room. I dropped into my desk chair and turned on the TV while Iggy plopped down on my bed and started munching away.

"I've got a question." Iggy announced

"Shoot."

"Do you think Ella has a thing for Sam? Like, I'm just asking but they talk to each other a lot and I'm not sure Ella likes me that much."

I kept flipping through the channels and got a disgusted look on my face. It was easy to tell by one glance that Sam had a huge thing for Max. Like, Sam is my friend and all but god did that annoy me, everywhere we go it's- "Hey Max, look at this!" "Hey Max what are you doing this weekend?" "Hey Max I'll do anything to get your godamm attention!"

"I doubt it Iggy I think you should honestly just ask her out already, you've liked her for what? Three years?"

"Look who's talking."

I glared at him and he put his hands up in mock surrender.

"It's different with Max dude. She's so dense I'm not sure she would get it if I literally spelled out 'I like you' verbally, put it on a T-shirt and had an orchestra harmonizing in the background to emphasize my point."

"True. We should do something with the girls tonight. There all over at Max's right? How about a good-ole fashioned game of manhunt?"

"I dunno. If you want to, sure." I sounded mildly uninterested and kept flipping through channels.

Iggy fist pumped the air. He got off of the bed and went over to my beanbag chair on the floor and plopped himself down there getting comfortable again. We debated calling Max, Ella or Nudge and who was more likely to pick up. We decided on Nudge. We used Iggy's phone and went to her contact and pressed call, then speaker.

"Iggy?" Said Nudges voice on the other end of the phone.

"Wazzup homie jus' callin to make sure erythin is iet wit you."

She hung up and I thumped Iggy in the forehead.

"Ow, I didn't think she'd actually hang up."

We dialed Ella while Iggy muttered something about how she needs to learn to take a joke.

"Nice going Iggy." Said Ella's voice.

"Hey Ella, sorry about that. Anyways would you guys be up for a game of manhunt later?"

"Erm, hold on Iggs."

There was muffled voices in the background and some laughter. We sat there waiting.

"Yeah sure manhunt sounds awesome." She said

"Sweet, how about you guys come over to Fangs at seven?"

"Okay." She said "And also, Iggy?"

"Yeah?"

We heard a whooshing sound from behind us and we both jumped a little. We turned around to find Ella at Max's window.

"Why didn't you just ask through the window?"

Iggy smacked his forehead.

* * *

It was a quarter past seven and me, Iggy, Nudge, Max and Ella were surrounding the island in My kitchen. We all wore sneakers and had a flashlights set down in front of each of us.

"Okay here are the rules." Iggy said "The boundaries are anywhere In Max's house, backyard, Fangs backyard, but not inside cus his family said only at Max's and the garages. No roofs or inside the cars. Simple enough so far?"

Everyone nodded.

"I'll count first, I'll stay at Fangs house while you guys hide. You leave through the front door and you get three minutes to hide. You can keep your flashlight on or off but you will probably want it off and after those three minutes I'll come looking for you guys and whoever I find has to help me look for the rest of us. You guys ready?"

A chorus of readies broke out and we were off.

Everyone broke off Ella headed for my backyard and Nudge ran for Max's. Max looked confused and then she looked like she had an idea. She ran off to the other side of her house and I didn't see her come back around.

As for me, I knew exactly where I was going. I ran up Max's steps and made a b-line to the upstairs closet. I opened it and saw there was just enough space for me in between a golf club set and lots of old medical equipment(probably Ari's) with a little bit of room left for spreading out, so I was able to sit with my knees to my chest.

I checked my phone to see a little over two minutes had past and then I put my ear to the door to see if I could hear anything. I heard light thumping noises of someone coming up the stairs. I quickly pulled back out of surprise and crouched down lower, not that it would help any. Iggy's two minutes weren't up and he's not one to break his own rules. I put my ear to the door again and heard a voice.

"Crap, crap stupid sprinklers, I'm fucked."

I poked my head out to see a pissed Max standing in the hallway with her hair soaking wet.

"Psst, Max." I whispered.

She whipped around and when she saw me looked relieved. I motioned for her to come over.

"Why are you soaking wet?"

"Well I guess for once Ari remembered to water the damn garden, now I have nowhere to hide."

"Here." I scooted over so there was just enough room for her to be able to sit next to me. She looked reluctant but just then we heard,

"Here I come!"

"No time to argue." I whispered and pulled her into the tight space next to me, shutting the door in the process.

I felt Max's arm right up against mine and felt some of her loose hair brushing across my face. It smelled nice, like apples but I tried to pretend I didn't notice and ultimately failed. I heard shuffling for a good minute or two, then the front door slam and the shuffling stopped. I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding in and noticed how I was almost just as wet as Max was from the sprinkler.

"Sorry." I heard Max say right next to me, but I couldn't see squat because of how dark the closed closet was.

"It's okay." I said looking everywhere but where I knew Max was sitting. I felt around for my flash light and found it and held my hand on the on button. Should I turn it on? Or would that make things more awkward? Maybe I shouldn't? But what if I should? I could feel Max right up against me and felt her looking the other way too. Okay. I thought to myself. I'm going to turn the flashlight on. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it in 5… 4… 3…

A light blinded me for a split second and I made a hurumph sound.

"Gah. Sorry Fang I turned my flashlight on." Max said

I rubbed my eyes "Nah its' okay. I'm o-"

When I looked up Max was staring straight at me. Her face was right there. Two freaking inches away. Both of our eyes widened and I saw that her face was already bright red. I leaned in a little. She didn't pull away.

"Are you two doing such lewd things in a closet?"

We both flew our faces apart and jumped back as far as we could, which honestly wasn't that far, right as the closet door opened and Iggy was standing there with a triumphant smile on his face.

"I'm going to kill you dude." I said.

Max jumped up and said something along the lines of 'toilet downstairs go erm yeah' which I think can be translated somewhat that she faked going to the bathroom to avoid looking at me.

Iggy looked at Max hopping down the stairs then back to me.

"Was it something I said?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Ooooooohh that cock-block though :p hope you liked it, will update soon! Also I'm going to start naming my chapters instead of chapter 1,2,3 etc idk I just like it more that way. I went back and renamed the first few chapters too so yeah check it out if you want.**


	8. Headache

**Chapter 8**

 **MPOV**

I didn't really know what to do or where to go. Fang and I had just almost… almost… You know what, I don't really want to talk about it. I've already forgotten about it, yep, forgotten, shoved deep down in my mind into a safe that I locked and then threw down a black hole. Yeah, right.

Being the oh, so graceful person that I am, as soon as that closet door opened I made up the best excuse to get out as soon as possible which resembled something along the lines of "I have to use the bathroom." Not the worst excuse I've ever come up with but it's definitely up there.

I immediately jumped out and started hopping down the stairs making my hair, wet from the sprinklers, whack the back of my neck repeatedly. As I reached the end I looked over the stair banister and saw Ella sitting at the counter and doing something on her phone. She looked over at me and said,

"He get you too?" She raised her eyebrows.

I mumbled something along the lines of yeah and hurried off to the end of the hallway where the bathroom was. I immediately shut and locked the door then leaned my back up against it and let out a breath of air I hadn't even realized I was holding in. I slowly slid down the door onto my butt and pulled my legs to my chest while using my hands to pull my sopping hair off my neck.

I thought about nothing for a moment just letting myself calm down. I hated when things like this happen. Well, I don't _hate_ it but I don't like how it's effecting me and Fangs relationship. I've been noticing things like this happening more and more and I can't quite put my finger on it but it feels… odd. In a good way odd I mean. Well, I think that's what I mean. Probably. Maybe. I don't know.

Like the other day when he winked at me and sometimes the faces he makes at me when I notice him out of the corner of my eye. It's all too much right now.

I shook my head and slapped my cheeks while mumbling to forget about it to myself. Fang is Fang. Fang's my friend. Nothing more, nothing less. God I wanted to believe it so bad.

I heard heavy footsteps descending from the stairs and heard Iggy yelling.

"Okay Nudge, you won you can come out now!" There was silence and then I heard more footsteps and the backdoor creaking open.

"Nuuuuudge you won! You can stop hiding now, Nuuuuudge!" He continued yelling.

I kept my head in my hands for a few more seconds. I felt a major headache coming on. I sighed then got up slowly off my butt and smoothed down my clothes and hair and prepared myself to open the door.

 _Just act normal Max, act like you didn't almost just kiss your best friend. Yeah, right._

I opened the door and see Iggy at the end of the hallway with the door open still calling for Nudge. I don't see Fang anywhere so I assume he's in the kitchen with Ella or still upstairs. I hoped for the latter. I don't think I can face him right now. I walked down to where Iggy was and peered out the door into my dark backyard with him.

"Nudge you really did win, this isn't just Iggs trying to fool you!" I yelled into the darkness.

All the sudden the bushes right next to the door started moving and what do you know, a Nudge pops up. "Okay as long as someone _besides_ Iggy says it's over, then I'll give up my grade A hiding spot." Iggy sighed and threw his hands in the air "I just can't win, Can I." He mumbled that to himself and walked back inside. Nudge hopped out of the bushes and brushed off her jeans and fixed her hair before walking inside.

Nudge and I walked back into the kitchen where Ella and Fang were chatting at the table. Iggy walked over to them and said "Well I guess its Ella's turn to count because, you know, I found you in the first sixty seconds. I honestly don't know how you're so bad at this game." Ella punched him in the shoulder and we all laughed. I avoided making eye contact with Fang as much as I could.

"C'mon guys," I said "What are we waiting for start counting."

Ella groaned and then started walking over to Fangs house to count. As soon as she left the house we counted to about twenty seconds then we all rushed off. This time Iggy and Nudge both went out the front door and went opposite directions. I could feel Fangs eyes on me but by the way I was turned away from him it kind of gave off a _back off_ vibe. Needless to say, he got the message. He jogged out and opened the door to my backyard and swiftly closed it.

I stood in the kitchen alone now and realized I have yet to figure out where I'm going. I knew for a fact I wasn't going out the backdoor where Fang went and I also knew I couldn't go out the front because Nudge and Iggy both hid out there and they'd see me hide. If one of them got tagged before I did they would know just where I was. I opted that I'd go upstairs. I quickly ran out of the kitchen and bounded as fast as I could up the stairs. I looked down the upstairs hallway and weighed my options. My room, Ari's room, Bathroom, Ari's office, guestroom or the closet. Immediately crossing of the last one I ran to my room and decided to slide under my bed.

I could barely breathe under the bed because of the lack of space and also somewhat because of all the trash I've shoved under here during the last few years. I wiggled around a bit to get more comfortable and my elbow landed on and old soda cup that got a sticky lemon lime flavored goo on my arm.

"Fucking gross Max." I said to myself while trying to shake my arm as best I could under the bed.

I decided I'd rather wash it off, risking getting caught than have an unidentifiable green stain on my arm.

I started crawling out from under my bed having to duck and slide over the other junk I've shoved down there. I got out and walked over to my door slowly trying not to make a sound in case Ella was close. I put my ear to the door and when I didn't hear anything I cracked it open and peaked my head out. I didn't see anyone either, so I stepped out and tiptoed as fast as I could across the hall to the bathroom me and Ari shared.

When I stepped into the bathroom I turned on only one of the lamps close to the shower at the far end to try and make as little light as possible and put my sticky arm under the sink. I turned the water on low and grabbed the sponge under the sink to wipe off the goopy part. I tried not to gag at the smell either but it was pretty horrific. I used the soap to get the rest of the stain off and turned off the water.

As soon as I did I just leaned into the sink and looked at myself in the mirror for a second. I didn't like what I saw, I usually never did. My half wet messy hair and my terrible eye bags along with a fake smile that never truly reaches my cheeks. In that moment I frowned and then felt a sharp pain in the back of my head.

I wasn't really prone to migraines or for that matter ever really had one I'd just seen on TV and heard people talk about how much pain they are in when they got them and in that moment, I think I got what they meant.

I clenched my teeth and had to go down onto my knees because I felt my legs go weak. I laid my head in my hands and started breathing a little heavier.

"Ugh, ow. Shit, Fuck, Fuck that hurts" I mumbled to myself.

I was about ready to keel over when the pain just… disappeared. I took my head slowly out of my hands, afraid it would start up again if I moved to fast. It didn't. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror again. I looked the same, just a little more slightly disheveled. I leaned in a little closer just to see a little drop of blood fall from my nose. My eyes widened and I quickly wiped up the blood with my jackets sleeve. I waited a few more seconds to see if anymore would come out but none did, I sighed with relief.

I don't know what that was but I wasn't about to tell anyone about it. It would just worry them more and I hate people worrying about me. I decided to walk downstairs to the kitchen and give myself up so we could call it a night.

I walked down the stairs and to my surprise saw everyone in the kitchen. As soon as I took the last step to the ground floor four heads turned my direction and I stiffened. Iggy looked at me and then got this big goofy grin on his face and walked over to me arms widening.

"There's our big winner!" He said while wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Oh yeah? What do I win, a new Prius?" I said playing along with his meaningless banter.

"No but we do have some leftover pizza and I saw a freezer burned Popsicle in the freezer. Take your pick!"

"I think I'm good." I said while chuckling. I then threw his arm off me and preceded to get a cup from the cabinet to fill with water.

"Anyone want some?" I asked

"No I'm good but where were you Max? I caught them all like a long time ago and we had been calling your name for like two minutes." Ella said.

"I was upstairs I guess I didn't hear you." I answered while taking big gulps of water.

"Yeah and I was all the way around the house, How did you hear _me_ Ella?" Iggy said "Unless you were cheating and finished counting early?"

"Yeah right you just suck at hiding Iggy, you were standing in plain sight!" She countered.

They bickered like this for a bit and then Ella oh so helpfully added in.

"C'mon guys it doesn't matter whose best at this game we had fun right?"

"Not as much fun as we would have at Dylan's party this weekend." Nudge said "If only Max would agree to go." She raised her eyebrows at me.

I put my hands up in mock surrender and then said I was going to go upstairs to my room because I wasn't feeling all that good. They all agreed that it probably was time to go to bed since it was almost one in the morning.

As I was walking out of the kitchen I felt Fangs eyes on me as I walked past him.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice.

I looked back into his dark eyes. "I'm fine."

That was the farthest thing from the truth.

 **A/N:**

 **Hehehe, did you guys miss me? Well happy to say you won't be anymore. Tbh I kind of forgot all about this story for a loooooooong time but fear not I'm going to start writing again!**

 **Leave a review if you like and if I get more than ten new reviews in the next day or so I'll try to upload a new chapter in less than a week. Hope you like the story so far, I love hearing your feedback!** **:)**


	9. The Park

**Chapter 9**

 **FPOV**

I woke up sprawled out backwards on my bed with an arm twisted behind my back and slobber on my sheets. Classy Fang, real classy.

I groaned and lifted my eye lids a little and saw the sun streaming in through the windows. After we left Max's house yesterday we stayed up until about 6 in the morning drinking monster and playing Battlefield.

I shifted my head and looked at the clock, 12:04. I groaned again and looked at a big lump on the floor otherwise known as Iggy under five blankets and my bean bag chair. He was also, as I could see drooling onto the floor making a puddle. Lovely.

I figured it was late enough as it is so I slowly sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. I stretched my arms upward and then leaned over to look out the window, I saw Max's light was on which meant the girls were already up.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom that connected to my room, making sure to kick Iggy on the way there. He made a hrumph sound and the Iggy lump shifted around a bit, but still didn't bother getting up.

I went and did my business and came back out of the bathroom to find the Iggy lump had moved. Moved from the floor to my bed. I sighed and opened my door I walked downstairs to find a note on the counter from my mom saying she'd gone to a baby shower her friend was having. My dad was probably in his office and that only left…

I heard the slam of the backdoor.

"Fangs up! Fangs up!" Angel said running into the kitchen trailed by her friend who I recognized as Kayla. I didn't know angel was having friends over and I really wouldn't care that much except since mom's not home guess who's going to have to be the babysitter.

"Hey Angel, Hi Kayla." I said walking over to the fridge to pull out some orange juice.

"Your brothers not wearing any pants." Kayla said to my sister.

I realized she was right, I was wearing boxer shorts but I usually walked around the house like this so I didn't really notice. I didn't really care either since this is my six year old sister's friend so I shrugged and finished off the orange juice.

"He usually walks around like that." She explains "Some people just don't have _any_ dignity."

I rolled my eyes "Wow Ange you've successfully mastered the art of 'how to talk like a middle aged white dad'"

She gaped at me and I started walking back up the stairs.

"What time is Kayla's mom coming to get her?" I called down.

"Around threeish, you have to play with us before she goes though, we need someone to play the frog in Swan Lake!" She yelled back to me.

I groaned mentally "I will before she goes, promise." Man I'm such a good brother.

I heard their squeals and then footsteps running back out the door.

I finished climbing the stairs and went back to my room to find an Iggy firing up the PlayStation.

"C'mon dude you were gonna start playing without me?"

* * *

Iggy left around two because he said he had to pick up his little brother from Saturday school. I was kind of glad he didn't make me go with him. Iggy's brother was a menace, He made stink bombs and knew how to make fireworks. Let's just say waking up to firecrackers under your bed is not a fun experience, nor does it make you want to go back to his house any time soon.

After he left I played that swan lake game with Angel and Kayla, all they made me do was sit there and ribbit while jumping all over me for thirty minutes. Not the worst way to spend my time. But I could think of a better way.

I sat on my bed now listening to music and doing some homework but I couldn't really focus. It had been buzzing in the back of my head all day. The thing yesterday with Max. '

You could call it an almost kiss but was it really? We were still inches apart and Iggy ruined it, which I badgered him all last night for. I didn't mind the almost kiss at all except it seemed to bother Max a lot. I know that girls dense as a rock about me and completely oblivious to my feelings for her and when that happened she didn't really seem to know how to handle it.

But she didn't pull away. That kept echoing in the back of my mind over and over again. Stupid, I know. I decided I wanted to see her today. Even if she didn't want to see me.

I walked over to my window to see Max actually had her blinds up and window open. I could see her sitting down on the foot of her bed and playing video games. She also had a headset on which meant she was playing a multiplayer. I opened my window up as well.

"Finishing up this weekend's homework and being responsible for once, I see." I called out to her.

She stopped talking and turned her head. She moved to mute her mike and took off the headset. She walked over to the window and said.

"As I always do."

"Uhhuh sure." I said with as much sarcasm as I could, she didn't really respond to it.

"Did you want something?"

"Want to go somewhere?" I asked

"Where?"

I shrugged my shoulders and motioned around with my hand "Anywhere."

* * *

I didn't like the awkward silence in the car. It was too quiet even with the music.

I didn't really know where we were going either we were just driving until we could find or come up with something to do. Max was mostly silent and trying to look at everything besides me, she was so obvious. I turned the music down and asked her,

"There's a park up here, do you want to go there?"

"Yeah, sure"

We drove a few more miles and I pulled into the parking lot, there were a ton of spaces because no one really goes to this park all that much since it's private. I go here with Angel a lot so I know a way to sneak in, there's a hole in the back of the fence near the woods that easy to squeeze through and once you're in no one really questions your presence.

"Um that sign says this is a reserved park for members only." She looked over at me

"I know a way in." I said and gave her a wink and she immediately turned back away, blushing.

I pulled into a space and exited the car, making my way around a big wall that blocked the damaged part of the fence you could get in at.

I walked over and pulled open the top of the broken part.

"You see Maxie, The only membership pass we'll be needing is this."

"Works for me."

We both shimmied in and went to sit down on a double swing set.

I looked around the park observing it. It was pretty big, about half an acre length and width. There was three sets of double swings like me and max were on side by side. One of the far ones had a mom pushing her daughter on it. There was a sandbox and a seesaw along with one of those big jungle gyms with all the slides, bridges and climbing walls on it.

The thing that defined the park most though was a big tree in the middle. It reminded me of the on in Max's backyard, A massive tree with low hanging branches stretching out almost twenty to thirty feet each. It gave me a great idea.

I looked over at Max on the swing, she had on a jacket and jeans and was kicking at the dirt with her shoe making a pattern.

"Hey Max," I said "You know it's Saturday so technically we can do a new challenge."

She looked up at me but didn't meet my eyes.

"Oh yeah? You got one?"

"Maybe." I said with a sly grin while hopping up from the swing. "Follow me."

I ran for the tree as fast as I could leaving a surprised Max in my wake. She wasn't stunned for long though she started chasing after me and caught up pretty quickly, I hate to admit.

"What are we doing?" She yelled breathlessly.

"Whoever can climb highest in that tree wins." I said back.

She got a determined look on her face and sprinted ahead of me. She reached the tree before I did and started climbing branches immediately, I was hot on her trail though. I felt a little bit like spider man jumping from branch to branch. Parkour, am I right?

I watched Max climb the tree, it was so blatant that she was absolutely loving this. Not gonna lie but I was loving this too. The branches started thinning and we both got closer to the base of the tree where they were thicker. I saw Max point to one of the last about 5 inch thick branches.

"That… one…" She was breathless and so was I at this point.

We both made our last few climbs to get up to the branch and then sat there exhausted. I don't know how long we sat there in silence but eventually our breathing evened out and we calmed down. To my surprise Max spoke first

"I'm sorry." She said looking down "I was acting weird, _it_ was… weird, I just can't really… I don't really get…"

She was struggling for words.

"Its fine Max, the good thing is we don't need to get it right now, M'kay? It's all cool let's just act normally."

"Thanks."

We sat in silence again for a few more minutes until Max blurted out.

"I think I'm gonna go to Dylan's party tomorrow, remember the one he invited me and you too on Friday? Nudge kind of pressured me into it."

I sat still for a moment and didn't respond. I hated that Dylan douche bag but if they were all going to his party that means I have to come too. Not by choice, I'm usually just dragged along.

"I know you don't like Dylan but there's going to be food there, and a whole ton of people we know. Probably."

"Whatever, I'll go." I mumble.

"Yay." Max claps her hands and I notice something.

I see a red stain on her jacket cuff, little dark red dots like something had dripped onto it.

"What's that about?" I asked reaching out to grab her sleeve.

She pulls back not quickly but fast enough to tell me to back off, so I do and I probably looked more hurt than I'd like to admit. She had an apologetic look on her face.

"Sorry I didn't mean to hurt you. It's from… this morning. Me Nudge and Ella made dyed cookies when we woke up and I got some dye on my sleeve that all."

I nodded, "Can I have a cookie?"

"We ate them all." She laughed.

I smirked and looked out to see the sun was setting.

"We should probably be heading back before it gets dark, want to come over for dinner?"

"Can't sorry, Ari's coming home early so we were gonna go out to eat."

"Okay." I said and I started climbing down the tree, feeling the suns last rays on my skin.

* * *

 **I was feeling generous and bored so like the great person I am, here's the next chapter little early. I'm probably going to change the synopsis as well because I wrote it a while ago and idk it feels super cringe in my opinion. I'll update soon so don't worry and leave a review if you liked! :)**

 **(For those of you that don't get the stain part it might have been a little hard to understand but that's the jacket Max used last chapter to stop her nosebleed, hope that made sense to you before you read this though.)**


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